Real judgements, distilled
Court judgements broken down into the case type, how the decision played out, and the lesson worth remembering, with the full judgement available as a PDF.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1094
An older qualification must still satisfy the eligibility rules governing the appointment sought. Here, the certificate's early date did not secure reinstatement, and rejection of eligibility should not be confused with a conclusive finding that the certificate was forged.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1095
A party benefiting from a conditional stay must meet its deposit requirement or face enforcement. The additional ₹15 crore deposit secures the pending dispute; it does not settle the land's final compensation or amount to an immediate payment to the landowners.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1093
An alleged attempt to kill does not become a lesser offence simply because the victim avoided a fatal injury. Restoring this charge means the accusation must be tried; it does not establish that the accused is guilty.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1090
For the assessment in this case, assistance reducing ordinary manufacturing costs was taxable even though the government wanted to encourage industry. The purpose and actual operation of the particular subsidy mattered more than its general development label.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1091
Proof that someone caused a serious injury does not by itself prove the additional ingredients of robbery. A court can substitute a lesser offence supported by the evidence; the sentencing reduction here depended on Appa's particular circumstances.
Special Leave Petition (Civil) · 2026 INSC 1092
Someone challenging an election must ensure that the personal-presentation requirement is met and can be proved. Merely entering the court building does not establish compliance, and a filing defect can end the challenge before the election allegations are examined.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1088
An employee who retires on 30 June may be entitled to the increment that falls due on 1 July after completing a year of service. Authorities that delay paying the amounts due must pay interest after the deadline set by the court.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1089
Recruitment must follow the qualifications stated in the advertisement and the governing Recruitment Rules. A court will not override a merit-based eligibility decision made under those rules merely because the candidate concerned was higher in the written test.
Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8797
A person who occupied property only because of employment has no independent right to remain once the employment and decree end. Even when a petition fails, courts can make practical arrangements to let a person recover personal belongings.
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Log in to see moreLaxman Das Mahour, a BSNL phone mechanic in his late fifties, was struck and killed by a bus while walking after getting off another bus. His widow, son and daughter sought compensation, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded them about Rs. 28.67 lakh. On appeal by the insurance company, the Madhya Pradesh High Court reduced this to about Rs. 19.67 lakh by applying a "split multiplier" method, calculating compensation separately for his pre-retirement salary years and his expected post-retirement pension years. The family appealed to the Supreme Court against this reduction.
The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in applying the split multiplier method without recording any special reasons for departing from the standard multiplier approach laid down in Sarla Verma v. DTC, reaffirming that such deviation requires specific justification, not merely the fact that the deceased was nearing retirement. Applying the standard multiplier of 9 to the deceased's income, adding the mandatory 15% for future prospects, and restoring fuller amounts for loss of consortium, loss of estate and funeral expenses, the Court raised the total compensation to about Rs. 33.03 lakh.
In motor accident compensation cases, courts and tribunals must apply the standard age-based multiplier method set out in Sarla Verma as the default rule; a "split multiplier" that treats pre- and post-retirement income differently can only be used if the court records specific reasons justifying that departure.
